The Hatfield-McCoy Feud

The Feud and Politics

Following the killings of 1882, the feud simmered as McCoys attempted unsuccessfully to have Hatﬁelds arrested and tried in the courts. The governor of Kentucky requested extradition from West Virginia Governor E. Willis Wilson, who refused. At times it appeared there might be armed conﬂict between the two states. In a show of gratitude, Devil Anse Hatfield named a son after Governor Wilson. Willis Hatfield, Devil Anse’s last surviving son, is shown here in 1970 at age 82.